New to Amsterdam? Get adopted by a local through the Buddy Program
Moving to a new city like Amsterdam can be an intense experience, especially for internationals. The Erasmus Student Network gives these students a helping hand with the Buddy Programme, where they get linked to a native student who helps them navigate the city.
It can be quite overwhelming, moving to a new country from abroad: so many things to do and no social safety net (yet). To help international students out, whether they are here for one semester, one year or a BA/MA, the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) has the so-called Buddy Programme. The goal, according to the website: ‘to support the social and cultural integration of new international students and exchange students while building meaningful connections with local buddies.’ We spoke to Bas Peetsold (31), Amstelveen native and recent Communication Science graduate, and Alisia Vlad (21) from Romania, his buddy and current BA student Communication Science.
What exactly is the Buddy Programme?
Bas: ‘ESN decided to develop this programme as a way for international students to get settled in Amsterdam and get connected to someone passionate about the city. Moving to an entirely new place can be overwhelming, it’s not an easy step to take. There’s so many things to do, people to meet. It’s a good way to get a grip on the city.’
Alisia: ‘I moved here from Romania in 2024. Even though there are many Romanians in The Netherlands, I felt like I might be alone. I thought: I’m here, I’m new, I could use a buddy.’
Bas: ‘When I started studying in Amsterdam, I found the city to be quite overwhelming, also because of my Autism Spectrum Disorder. So by joining the Buddy programme, I wanted to give people the kickstart in the city that I would’ve wanted.’
How did you meet? Did you hit it off straight away?
Alisia: ‘I got added to the Buddy group chat and then, Bas texted me. We chatted for a bit, he’s a very animated texter. I looked forward to meeting at that point, and we met up to go bar hopping: a good way to get to know each other.’
Bas: ‘I’ve been a Buddy for quite some semesters now, so I know the best way to approach someone. Meeting in a group setting can be a bit awkward, for me it’s better to meet individually.’
Alisia: ‘It was super great, we had really fun conversations. I didn’t think it was awkward at all.’
Bas: ‘I agree, it was not weird, even though there is a ten-year age gap.’
Alisia: ‘I was shocked when he told me his age! After the first meet up, we chatted occasionally. You were a bit more pro-active, especially at first, which was good cause I can be quite shy.’
Bas: ‘You do not click with everyone, that can be for many reasons. Sometimes, you simply don’t match with a buddy. If that happens, there’s the program coordinator to talk to. But with us, the communication is very two-sided.’
What kind of activities do you do together?
Alisia: ‘I really liked going to the light festival together. A nice memory to have together.’
Bas: ‘I know so many hidden gems now. The Netherlands is not just Amsterdam, there’s so many other things to do as well.’
Alisia: ‘We went to Zaanse Schans recently, which I loved. It was so pretty!’
Bas: ‘My biggest dream is to bring you to a hardstyle festival. Show you our Dutch music culture. But that will never happen.’
Alisia: ‘No, it will happen, someday! I just need some time, to not just take a step, but a leap out of my comfort zone.’
Bas: ‘We also went to a pub quiz together, and one time we just sat chatting at Olympisch Stadion and had ice cream and some craft beers.’
What’s the best thing about the Buddy Programme?
Alisia: ‘When you move to a big, new city, where you want to make friends, it’s so nice to find open minded people. I’m really glad the Buddy Programme exists, cause it makes it much easier to meet new people and get to know the city.’
Bas: ‘You get to know people from all over the world. I want to be very clear: it’s not customer service, a task or a job. It’s a way to meet people, make connections and be yourself.’
Alisia: ‘Something you hear a lot when you move to the Netherlands, is that Dutch people are cold, closed off to internationals. I was so surprised! In my experience it’s nothing like that, because I have Bas, this great Dutch friend.’
